Our friends at the Healthy Schools Campaign are working hard to promote support for an important new bill that needs to get funding from the Senate.  New regulations proposed by President Bush would limit Medicaid reimbursement to schools for medical and health-related services that the poorest of the nation's 7 million school children with disabilities need in order to attend school. The Protecting Children’s Health in School Act (S.578), which would ensure that schools continue to receive vital reimbursement for the required services they provide, is now before the Senate Committee on Finance. Remind our senators that children’s health is important:

• Ask your senator to co-sponsor and support the Protecting Children’s Health in School Act, S.578.
• Call the Senate Committee on Finance office at (202) 224-4515 and express your support for the bill, so that we can all be on record for the committee hearing.

Without this bill, the president’s proposed regulations would cut $3.6 billion over five years for federally mandated services such as speech therapy and physical therapy for Medicaid-eligible students. This funding is vital in paying school nurses, who play a key role in children’s health. In addition to addressing the health needs of students with increasingly common problems such as asthma and diabetes, school nurses are key leaders in helping schools move forward to improve student wellness and environmental health. Learn more about HSC’s upcoming School Nurse Leadership Program, which gives school nurses the tools to lead change for improved environmental health at school. 

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, an HSC ally and long-time advocate for healthy schools, has signed on as a co-sponsor of this bill. Take a moment to thank Senator Durbin for co-sponsoring the Protecting Children’s Health in School Act.

Protect Children's Health in School, support the Healthy Schools Campaign!